Stapling-machine.



B. H. MICHENER. STAPLING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31,1910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

4 sums-snar 43 K 47 a? K IN V EN TOR 1m: NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON,n. 1:.

E. H. MI'GHENER. STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1910. 973,370 Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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E. H. MIGHENER. STAPLING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

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35 INVENTOR by JTTORNEY s 20., WASHINGYON, u.

E. H. MIGHENER. STAPLIN G MACHINE.

973,37Q. APPLICATION FILED MAYV31, 1910. Patented Oct. 18

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KINETEE %FAJFE% PATENT @FFEQE.

E'LWOOD HARRIS IvIIUHENER, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ACMESTAPLE COMPANY, LIMITED, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYL- VANIA.

erased Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Original application filed March 31, 1910, Serial No. 552,539. Dividedand this application filed May 31, 1910. Serial No. 564,037.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELwooD H. MIOHENER, citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Camden, State of New J ersey,'have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in stapling-Machines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to wire stapling machines for binding or unitingsheets of paper or other analogous stock, and specifically to that classof such machines, comprising a magazine with which sticks of loadedstaples are inserted and the staples fed therefrom automatically to thestaple-inserting mechanism.

My invention in that class of machines has for its objects to double itsstaple-inserting capacity, whereby two staples may be simultaneously butindependently fed to and acted on by the inserting and clenchingmechanism; whereby also it may be made capable of binding stock ofconsiderable and variable thickness; and finally to widen its scope ofapplication so that, for example, tape-feeding mechanism may beoperatively employed and combined therewith to supply tags or tickets tobe attached to stock by a pair of staples simultaneously inserted by thestapling mechanism; and my invention to effect these objects comprises acombined and ori ganized mechanism, including duplex staplefeeding andstaple-inserting mechanism, with stapleclenching devices, adapted toperform, in a certain cycle of movements, the several functions stated,said elements being brought into action, in unison of time, by means ofco-acting connecting mechanism actuated as an entirety.

To these ends my invention consists of an organized machine, comprisingin combination with a suitable supporting frame and connected actuatingmechanism to impart movement to the several elements, in a certain cycleof movements, of a plurality, preferably of staple-supplying and feedingdevices mounted on opposite sides of a central staple-supporting andguiding block having duplex grooves into which a pair of staples, onefor each of said feeding devices, is simultaneously delivered,reciprocating staple-blades actuated by a staple-driving mechanism,govern such duplex staple delivery, and adapted on reverse movement toinsert both such staples so delivered to the guide block, at same time,in underlying stock, and a vertically-movable stapleclenching anviladapted to co-actwith said staple-inserting mechanism; the distinctivenovel features in the mechanism as a whole and in sub-combinations ofits elements being as hereinafter more particularly set forth andpointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention :Figure 1 is aside elevation of the machine, including part of the standard of theframework broken away. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper portionof the machine. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the parts directly concerned inperforming the staple-delivering and driving operations, and adjuncts.concerned in performing the staple-deliver- Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are viewsof parts shown in Fig. l, showing said parts in different positionsoccupied during their operation. Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig.2, and Fig. 9 is a lateral section on line 99 of Fig. l.

Referring now to said drawings, the sup porting frame of the machinecomprises, in addition to a vertical standard 2 with its base portion 6wherein is mounted a springcontrolled actuating treadle hereinafterdescribed, a frame proper indicated at 7 wherein the series of co-actinglevers and links to actuate the several moving elements in proper order,are mounted, and wherein the vertically-movable anvil 25 is guidinglysupported and actuated. The frame 7 is suitably recessed to receive adetachable staple guide-block 23 provided with duplex staple-grooves 24whereinto staples are fed successively from the staple-supplying andfeeding devices, and wherein also a pair of staple-plungers 26, 26, areguidingly reciprocated, to govern successively the admission of staplesand the ejection of the same by the return movement of the stapleplungers and their insertion into underlying stock. The frame is alsosuitably recessed to receive and guide a pair of rods 28 which carry andactuate the aforesaid staple-plungers 26. The frame is further providedwith two oppositely-disposed extensions 8, on either side of its centralportion, and suitably grooved as at 13 to form magazines for the loadedsticks of staples; and within each of these magazine recesses isarranged a bar or rib 14 to support a train of staples; the parts beingso correlated and organized as to discharge the staples successivelyinto the duplex grooves 24 on each side of the guide-block. The upperends of the pair of rods 28 are secured to an actuating bar 29hereinafter referred to, whereby the pair of plungers 26 may be operatedas a unit. These stapling plungers 26 and their carrying rods 28 beingmounted, as aforesaid, in suitable guide-openings in the frame 7 each ofthe plungers in turn carries 011 its lower end or is extended to form athin and narrow fiat plate 27 adapted to slidingly fill one of thestaple grooves 24 in the guide block, and is the actual staple driverwhich directly governs its adjacent staple feed on upward movement anddrives the staple through underlying stock on the down movement; its twopositions being shown in Figs. 6 and 7 respectively.

I prefer to make the guide-block 23 readily accessible for the purposeof removing defectively-fed staples or for cleaning, hence it is shownmade in a separate piece and removable from its seating socket in theframe 7 the said block having a hori- Zontal opening 81 formed therein;the upper wall of which has a vertical bore into which extends a pin 82screwed into and projecting downwardly from the frame. The lower end ofsaid pin 82 extends into opening 81 and is circularly grooved, as at 83.Embracing pin 82 and extending into groove 83 therein is the bifurcatedend of a spring plate 84 extending in part over the outer face of theguide block 23; said plate 84 engages pin 82 and holds block 23 inproper operative position; while to release and remove same it is onlynecessary that the plate 84 be drawn outwardly from pin 82, when theanvil 25 is in the down position hereinafter described, whereupon block23 may be lowered from its socket in frame 7 care being taken however,to first release springs 20 from actuating hold on the staple-supportingdevices so as to prevent them, temporarily, from feeding staples intothe socket in the frame normally occupied by the guide-block.

Each of the two automatic staplesupplying and feeding devices is muchthe same as usual in this class of machines and comprises a follower 16of sheet metal of a form adapted to embrace the bar or rib 14 in themagazine recess. The follower has an arm 17 with an ear 18 engaged by aneye 19 on one end of a coiled spring 20 which latter extends toward thecentral portion of the frame 7, through an opening therein, over aroller 21 and thence to a projection 22 (see Fig. 3), hence the tendencyof the spring is to cause the follower 16 to automatically push thestaples, one by one, into each of the grooves 24 of the duplex guideblock 23 on, and because of, each upward movement of the reciprocatingstapleinserting plungers 26 which, in normal or down position, occupysuch grooves and re strain the operation of the feeding devices.Arranged in the frame, below and in vertical alinement with theaforesaid guideblock 23 is a stock-supporting and stapleclenching anvil25, having two of the usual clenching recesses therein adapted to alinewith the staple grooves 24 of the superposed guide-block 23. Said anvil25 is mounted to slide vertically within a suitable guide opening in theframe 7 and hence is movable toward and from the lower end of thesuperposed guide block. During the staple-inserting operation of themachine the anvil 25 is first given an upward movement from the loweredposition shown in Fig. 4 to the raised position shown in Fig. 5; whilethe stapling plungers 26 are, at the same time, given a downwardmovement from the raised position shown in Fig. 4 to the loweredposition shown in Fig. 6; following which said elements are caused toreturn to their original positions shown in Fig. 4.

I will now describe the initial power-supplying means shown to operatethe machine as a whole, and also the connect-ing actuating devicesbetween the several elements to actuate them in appropriate relation asan organized mechanism.

At the lower portion of the standard 2 of the frame is a footlever 3Opivoted by one end at 31, the other end extending through an opening instandard 2. It is held normally in raised, or inoperative position,shown in full lines in Fig. 1, by a spring 32, located within standard2, and having its lower end connected to foot-lever 30 and its upper endconnected to said standard. After the foot-lever is depressed by theoperator to actuate the machine, it will, on its release from pressure,return automatically to raised or normal position. A bar 33, arrangedwithin the standard, is pivotally connected by its lower end to saidfoot-lever, said bar having its upper end pivoted to one end of a lever34 which extends outwardly through an opening in standard 2 and ispivotally connected, at such outer end, with the lower end of themovable anvil 25 beneath the frame. Also pivotally connected to saidlever 34, as at 35, is the lower end of a bar 36, the upper end of whichis connected pivotally, as at 37, to another lever 38. One end of thislever 38 is connected pivotally, as at 39, to the frame 7, and the otherend connected pivotally, as at 40, to the cross-bar 29 carrying the rods28 with their stapling plungers 26. Vhen the machine is in normalposit-ion, stated, with the anvil lowered and the stapling plungersraised, the driver blades have uncovered the openings in the guide-blockand permitted the feeding devices to force a staple into each of theduplex grooves thereof. Further up ward movement of the staple plungers26 is prevented by engagement of cross-bar 29 with an adjustable head 41screwed to upper end of a rod 42 which is fixed to and extends upwardlyfrom frame 7 and through said bar 29. In this position of these eements, further downward movement of anvil 25 is prevented by a pin 43,secured to frame 7, which extends through a slot 44. in the anvil. Thefoot lever spring 32 holds the parts last above mentioned, in therespective normal positions stated, by its upward pressure on bar 33,causing lever 34 to fulcrum on pivot 35, which has the double effect ofholding the anvil against said pin 43, and of causing lever 38 to holdplungeractuating bar 29 against the head 41 by the upward pressureagainst bar 36 and lever 38.

Other connecting actuating means to cause said staple-inserting andsta1: le-clenching elements to operate in unison are provided asfollows: An arm 45 is arranged in a vertical opening in frame 7, withits lower end pivoted, as at 46, to the frame. Its upper end is providedwith two cam faces 47 and 48 which are adapted to engage a pin or point49 of the lever 38. Said arm 45 normally engages the pin 49 by action ofa suitable spring 50 mounted in an opening in frame 7; one end of thespring engaging said pin 49 and the other engaging the frame. Thefunction of this arm 45 is to prevent downward movement of lever 38 andplungers 26 during the upward movement of anvil 25, and also to preventupward movement of lever 38 and plungers 26 during downward movement ofanvil 25, for the purpose to be presently explained.

During the operation of the machine, in inserting and clenching a pairof staples, the stock being placed on the anvil, and the foot lever 30then depressed by the operator, the result of the initial downwardmovement of lever 30, acting on bar 33, is to draw the inner end oflever downwardly, thereby raising outer end of said lever and movinganvil 25 and the stock thereon upwardly against the lower end ofguide-block 23, as shown in Fig. 5; while the lever 34 fulcrums on pivot35. During this upward movement of the anvil, any downward movement ofthe bar 36, lever 38 and plungers 26, by the downward pressure of pivotpin 35, is prevented by engagement of cam face 47 on arm 45,- with thepin 49 of lever 38. lVhen the anvil is brought to rest, on its upwardmovement, and the stock clamped between it and its under face ofguide-block engaging both, said parts then being in position forinsertion of the staples into the stock, and which is the first resultof depressing the foot lever, then full depression of the latter causescontinued downward movement of lever 34, acting on bar 36 to draw lever38 downwardly, causing pin 49 to ride over cam face of arm 45 andforcing it back against the action of spring 50,. Such movement of lever38 acting on cross-bar 29 carries the stapling plungers 26 downwardly,to position shown in Fig. 6, its driving blades contacting with thecrowns of the staples in the guide-block, forcing their legs through theunderlying stock, which are clenched by contact with the recesses in theanvil. Nlien, in the completion of this function, the plungers 26 reachtheir lowermost position, the cam face 48 of arm 45 engages pin 49 oflever 38 and holds it and its connected stapling plungers 26, by theaction of spring 50, in the position shown in Fig. 6. After thestaple-inserting and clenching function has been performed, as stated,and the operator removes actuating pressure from foot-lever 30, theparts return automatically from the position shown by dot and dash linesin Fig. 1 to the position shown by the full lines therein; and the firstresult of the upward or released movement of the foot lever, on bar 33is to raise the inner end of lever 34 thereby lowering its outer end andmoving the anvil 25 downwardly from position shown in Fig. 6 to positionshown in Fig. 7, while lever 34 fulcrums on pivot-pin During thisdownward movement of anvil 25, any upward movement of bar 36, lever 38and plungers 26, through pressure of pivot-pin 35, is prevented byengagement of cam face 48 of arm 45 with pin 49 of the lever 38. Whenthe anvil, in its downward movement, is brought to rest by engagementwith pin 43 as before described, the final result of the upward orrelease movement of foot-lever 30, acting on lever 34, causes bar '36to'disengage pin 49 from cam-face 48 of arm 45, raising lever 38 andtherewith the pair of stapling plungers, to the position shown in Fig.4, the plungeroperating bar 29 coming to rest against head 41 andlimiti'ng further upward movement of foot-lever 30; its said upward orrelease movement, and the resultant described upward movement of thestapling-plungers and their driver blades, finally effected thereby,uncovering the duplex staple grooves in the guide-block to the feedingmechanism permitting the latter to automatically charge each of the samewith a staple, ready to be driven into underlying stock, by eachalternate reverse movement of the elements as 125 described.

The machine, by reason of its construction of frame. actuating devices,movable anvil, and duplex stapling mechanism, is

especially well adapted to be operatively 130 combined withtag-supplying and attaching mechanism, for feeding forward short lengthsof tape, and cutting off the same over the movable anvil to form markingtags to be stapled thereby and by the stapleinserting devices tounderlying stock supported on the anvil; and such a use of it incombination with novel tag-forming mech anism, is described and claimedin a former and pending application for patent, heretofore filed by me,same being Serial No. 552,539, filed March 31, 1910, and of which thepresent application is a division.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a stapling machine, the combination with asuitable frame, a duplex grooved guide-block, a duplex stapling plungerhaving driver blades reciprocating in the grooves of said guide-block;means, governed by said blades, to automatically feed a staple to eachof the grooves of the guideblock, a vertically-movable clenching anvilmounted in said frame, a pivoted lever actuating the stapling plunger,another pivoted lever actuating the movable anvil, and avertically-disposed bar pivotally connecting said actuating levers, withmeans to impart operative movement to said connected levers as a unitaryactuating mechanism.

2. In a stapling machine, the combination with a suitable frame, aduplex grooved guide-block, means to mount it detachably on said frame,said means comprising a spring-plate and a circularlygrooved threadedpin engaging a horizontal opening in said guide-block, a duplex staplingplunger having driver blades, means governed by said blades toautomatically feed staples successively to each of the grooves of theguide-block, a pivoted lever actuating said plunger, a movable anvil, apivoted lever actuating said anvil, a bar connecting said levers, anddevices to impart operative movement to said connected actuatingelements.

3. I11 a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, agrooved guide block, a stapling plunger, devices governed thereby tofeed staples to the groove of the guide block, a movable anvil, a pairof horizontally-disposed pivoted levers each independently actuating theplunger and anvil respectively, connecting actuating means between saidlevers, means comprising a spring-controlled cam normally engaging theplunger-actuating lever during the initial movement of theanvil-actuating lever to raise the anvil and during the reverse movementof said lever to lower the anvil.

&. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, agrooved stapleguide, a. stapling plunger, a staple-feed governedthereby, an anvil vertically slidable in a recess in said frame, meansto limit its downward movement therein, a lever actuating it in bothdirections, a pivoted lever actuating the stapling plunger, a connectingbar between said levers, and means co-acting with the plunger-actuatinglever to restrain the movement of the latter during the initial movementof the anvil-actuating lever.

5. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, agrooved staple guide, a stapling plunger, a staple-feed governedthereby, an anvil vertically slidable in a guiding recess in said frame,a pivoted lever adapted to impart positive motion thereto in bothdirections, a pivoted lever actuating the stapling plunger, a connectingbar adapted to impart movement to the stapling plunger from theanvil-actuating lever, and means to restrain downward movement of thestapling plunger during the downward movement of the anvil aftercompletion of the staple-inserting and clenching movements.

6. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, agrooved stapleguide, a stapling plunger, staple-feeding devices governedthereby, a movable anvil, an operating part for said plunger and anvil,and means operated by said part for moving said anvil into operativeposition while the plunger remains at rest and subsequently moving saidplunger, to eflect the stapling operation when said operating part ismoved in one direction, and for moving said anvil into inoperativeposition while the plunger is at rest, and subsequently moving saidplunger into inoperative position to govern the staple-feed when saidoperating part is moved in the reverse direction.

7 In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, a duplexgrooved guide-block, a duplex stapling plunger, a cross-bar carrying theplunger, a rod passing through said cross-bar and an adjustinghead forsaid bar, a duplex staple-feed governed by the reciprocatory movementsof the plunger, a vertically-movable anvil, a pair of pivoted leversmounted to reciprocate said plunger and anvil toward and from eachother, connecting actuating mechanism between said levers, and means toimpart operative movement thereto by and through said anvil-actuatinglever.

8. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, a duplexgrooved staple-guide, a duplex stapling plunger, a duplex staple-feedgoverned thereby, a movable anvil, a lever connected to said anvil, alever pivoted on the frame and connected to said plunger, a baroperatively connecting said levers to actuate the plunger and anvilrelatively to each other and to the staple guide to effect the staplingoperation, and

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means to restrain movement of the plunger while the anvil is beingraised into operative position.

9. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, a duplexstaple-guide, a duplex stapling plunger, a duplex staplefeeding devicegoverned thereby, a movable anvil, a lever connected to said anvil, alever pivoted to the frame and connected to said plunger, a barconnecting said levers; said levers and said bar being arranged tooperate the anvil and plunger to effect the stapling operation when thefirst named lever is operated, and a spring-pressed arm provided with asurface engaging a part of the second named lever and restrainingmovement of the plunger while the anvil is being moved into operativeposition.

10. In a stapling machine the combination with a suitable frame, aduplex staple guide, a duplex stapling plunger, a duplex staplefeedingdevice governed thereby, a movable anvil, a lever connected to saidanvil, a lever pivoted to the frame and connected to said plunger, a barconnecting said levers; said levers and said bars being arranged tooperate the anvil and plunger to effect the stapling operation when thefirst named lever is operated; and a spring-pressed arm provided withtwo surfaces adapted to engage a 1 part of the second named lever, onesurface preventing movement of the plunger while the anvil is beingmoved into operative position and the other surface preventing movementof the plunger while the anvil is being moved into inoperative position.

11. In a stapling machine the combination with a supporting standard anda suitable frame mounted thereon, a grooved staple guide, a staplingplunger, a staple-feed governed thereby, an anvil vertically slidable ina recess in said frame, a lever pivotally connected at one end to saidanvil, another lever pivoted on the frame and connected to said plunger,a bar pivotally connecting said levers, a vertically-disposed barmounted in said standard and pivotally connectedat its upper end to thefree end of said anvil-actuating lever, a treadle mounted in saidstandard and adapted to be depressed to actuate said last mentioned bar,and a spring operating to keep said treadle in normal elevated position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 23rd dayof May A. D. 1910.

ELWOOD HARRIS MIOHENER.

WVitnesses J OHN G. MAcxY, A. M. BIDDLE.

